For Determination of Non-Regulated Status for Innate™ Potatoes With
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J.R. Simplot Company Petition (13-022-01p) for Determination of Non-Regulated Status for Innate™ Potatoes with Low Acrylamide Potential and Reduced Black Spot Bruise: Events E12 and E24 (Russet Burbank); F10 and F37 (Ranger Russet); J3, J55, and J78 (Atlantic); G11 (G); H37 and H50 (H) OECD Unique Identifiers: SPS-00F10-7; SPS-00F37-7; SPS-0E12-8; SPS-00E24-2; SPS-000J3-4; SPS-00J55-2; SPS-00J78-7; SPS-00G11-9; SPS-00H37-9; SPS-00H50-4 Draft Environmental Assessment March 2014 Agency Contact Cindy Eck Biotechnology Regulatory Services 4700 River Road USDA, APHIS Riverdale, MD 20737 Fax: (301) 734-8669 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’S TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Mention of companies or commercial products in this report does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over others not mentioned. USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of any product mentioned. Product names are mentioned solely to report factually on available data and to provide specific information. This publication reports research involving pesticides. All uses of pesticides must be registered by appropriate State and/or Federal agencies before they can be recommended. i TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 PURPOSE AND NEED .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The APHIS Regulatory Authority ........................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Purpose of this Product ................................................................................. 2 1.2 Coordinated Regulatory Framework for Genetically-Engineered Organisms ..... 3 1.2.1 USDA-APHIS .................................................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Environmental Protection Agency ................................................................ 3 1.2.2 Food and Drug Administration ..................................................................... 4 1.3 Purpose and Need for This APHIS Action........................................................... 5 1.3.1 Public Involvement ............................................................................................ 5 1.3.2 Public Involvement Approach for This EA ....................................................... 7 1.4 Issues Considered ..................................................................................................... 7 2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................. 9 2.1 Agricultural Production and Agronomic Practices of Potato ............................... 9 2.2.1 Land Use ............................................................................................................ 9 2.2.2 General Agronomic Practices .......................................................................... 12 2.3 Physical Environment............................................................................................. 20 2.3.1 Water Resources .............................................................................................. 20 2.3.2 Soil Quality ...................................................................................................... 22 2.3.3 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 23 2.3.4 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 24 2.4 Biological Resources .............................................................................................. 25 2.4.1 Animal Communities ....................................................................................... 25 2.4.2 Plant Communities ........................................................................................... 26 2.4.3 Gene Flow and Weediness ............................................................................... 26 2.4.4 Microorganisms ............................................................................................... 28 2.1.1 2.2.5 Biodiversity ........................................................................................ 30 2.2 30 2.2.1 2.2.6 Human Health .................................................................................... 30 2.2.7 Animal Feed ..................................................................................................... 34 2.3 Socioeconomics ...................................................................................................... 35 2.3.1 Domestic Economic Environment ................................................................... 36 2.3.2 Trade Economic Environment ......................................................................... 39 2.3.3 Organically Certified Economic Environment ................................................ 39 3. ALTERNATIVES......................................................................................................... 41 3.1 No Action Alternative: Continuation as a Regulated Article ................................ 41 i TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE (Continued) 3.2 Preferred Alternative: Determination That Simplot Innate™ Potato Is No Longer a Regulated Article ............................................................................................... 42 3.3 Alternatives Considered But Rejected from Further Consideration ...................... 42 3.3.1 Prohibit Any Simplot Innate™ Potato from Being Released .......................... 42 3.3.2 Approve the Petition in Part ............................................................................. 43 3.3.3 Isolation Distance between Simplot Innate™ Potato and Non-GE Potato Production and Geographical Restrictions ................................................. 43 3.3.4 Requirement of Testing for Simplot Innate™ Potato ...................................... 44 3.4 Comparison of Alternatives ................................................................................ 44 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................................................................... 50 4.1 Environmental Consequences ................................................................................ 50 4.2 Scope of Analysis ................................................................................................... 50 4.3 Agricultural Production of Potato .......................................................................... 50 4.3.1 Acreage and Area of Potato Production ........................................................... 50 4.2.2 Agronomic Practices ........................................................................................ 51 4.2.3 Potato Seed Production .................................................................................... 52 4.2.4 Organic Potato Production ............................................................................... 52 4.3 Physical Environment............................................................................................. 54 4.3.1 Water Resources .............................................................................................. 54 4.3.2 Soil Quality ...................................................................................................... 54 4.3.3 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 55 4.3.4 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 56 4.4. Biological Resources ............................................................................................. 56 4.4.1 Animal Communities ....................................................................................... 56 4.4.2 Plant Communities ........................................................................................... 59 4.4.3 Gene Flow and Weediness ............................................................................... 60 4.4.4 Microorganisms ............................................................................................... 60 4.4.5 Biodiversity ...................................................................................................... 61 4.4.6 Human Health .................................................................................................. 61 4.4. 7 Animal Feed .................................................................................................... 63 4.5 Socioeconomic Impacts .......................................................................................... 64 4.5.1 Domestic Economic Environment ................................................................... 64 4.5.2 Trade